CN1496030A - Systems and methods for powering media converters for optical communications - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a system and method for supplying driving power to a medium converter for optical communication, which can implement a single circuit structure at a minimum cost even when the communication system includes a plurality of medium converters. a communication system. Each media converter converts an interface of an electrical communication device to an interface of an optical communication device, and converts an interface of the optical communication device to an interface of the electrical communication device. The system includes: a power supply provided separately from the media converter; and at least one power outlet device providing electrical power from the power supply to the medium converter.

Description

Systems and methods for powering media converters for optical communications

claim priority

This application claims priority to the application filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 18, 2002, assigned serial number 2002-57000, entitled "System for Powering a Media Converter for Optical Communications," and therefore it The content of is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art of the Invention

1. Field of invention

The present invention relates to a system for powering a media converter for optical communication, wherein the media converter converts an electrical communication device interface to an optical communication device interface, or converts the optical communication device interface to an electrical communication device interface.

2. Overview of existing technologies

Recently, Ethernet, which has become the basis of local area network (LAN), has expanded its application field to metropolitan area network (MAN) and wide area network (WAN). Much of this success is due to the advantages that Ethernet can efficiently utilize connection bandwidth, has improved functionality, and can provide inexpensive equipment through a large number of products. Accordingly, problems relating to the effective utilization of existing installed equipment have increased. However, most devices with electrical interfaces, such as switches or routers, cannot transmit large amounts of data over long distances due to the nature of their transmission lines. Therefore, there is a need for a media converter that can convert an electrical interface to an optical interface that can be transmitted over long distances, and then convert the optical interface back to an electrical signal after transmission. In order to solve such problems, media converters applying various light sources and optical fibers have been proposed, and such converters can generally be commercially manufactured.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical communication system using a common medium converter. Fig. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the structure of an optical communication system to which a general medium converter is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the common optical communication system using common media converters includes an electrical-optical converter 20 , an optical-electrical (or optical-electrical) converter 30 , and power supply devices 11 , 21 , 31 and 41 . The electrical-optical converter 20 receives an electrical signal from the first device 10 having a first electrical interface, and converts the electrical signal into an optical signal by means of an optical interface. The optical-electrical converter 30 receives the optical signal converted by the electrical-optical converter 20, converts the optical signal into an electrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to the second device 40 having a second electrical interface. The power supply devices 11 , 21 , 31 and 41 are respectively connected with the first device 10 , the electrical-optical converter 20 , the optical-electrical converter 30 and the second device 40 to supply power. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the first and second devices 10 and 40 includes transmitters TX+ and TX- for transmitting data and receivers RX+ and RX- for receiving data. If necessary, both the first and second devices 10 and 40 include an additional interface device (NC: not connected) connected thereto.

Transmitters TX+ and TX− supply the data for modulation via copper lines 1 to laser diodes LD of media converters 20 and 30 . Receivers RX+ and RX− receive electrical signals converted by photodiodes PD of media converters 20 and 30 .

Each of the media converters 20 and 30 includes a laser diode LD, a photodiode PD and a power supply 21 or 31 .

Each laser diode LD receives data from the transmitters TX+ and TX- of the first or second device 10 or 40 and converts the data into a laser beam whose intensity is proportional to the level of the input data. The laser diode LD then feeds the laser beam via an optical fiber 2 into another media converter.

Each photodiode PD receives the optical signal sent from the laser diode LD of another medium converter through the optical fiber 2, and outputs an electrical signal whose intensity is proportional to the optical signal to the first or second device with an electrical interface. 10 or 40 receivers RX+ and RX-.

In addition, each laser diode and photodiode of the media converter requires a control circuit to drive them. The power supply devices 21 and 31 supply driving energy to the control circuit of the medium converter.

However, in a general optical communication system using a media converter, since the structure of the media converter is very simple, the media converter can be made very small. However, high costs result because the power supply system cannot be produced in such a small size. Therefore, the cost and volume of the media converter increase.

Also, in a general optical communication system, one electrical device includes a plurality of communication sections. Therefore, a plurality of media converters necessarily requires a plurality of power supply devices corresponding to the plurality of media converters.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a system for supplying driving energy to medium converters for optical communication, which system enables each medium converter to have a simple, reduced-size structure, each medium converter converts an interface of an electrical communication device into The interface of the optical communication device, or the interface of the optical communication device is converted into the interface of the electrical communication device.

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for supplying driving energy to a medium converter for optical communication, which can realize an application at a minimum cost even in the case where the communication system includes a plurality of medium converters. Communication system with simple circuit structure. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for supplying driving energy to medium converters for optical communication, each medium converter converts an interface of an electrical communication device into an interface of an optical communication device, and the optical communication device The interface of the device is converted into the interface of the electrical communication device, the system includes:

a power supply device provided separately from the medium converter; and, at least one power supply socket device which supplies power from the power supply device to the medium converter.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the power supply socket device comprises: a main power supply socket device for directly receiving power from the power supply device; at least one slave power supply socket device for receiving power from the main power supply socket device; and , at least one conductor interface for connecting the slave power supply socket device with the main power supply socket device.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for supplying power to media converters for optical communication, each media converter converts an interface of an electrical communication device into an interface of an optical communication device, and the interface of the optical communication device The interface is converted into an interface of the electrical communication device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a power supply device arranged separately from the medium converter; and providing at least one power supply socket device to provide power from the power supply device to the medium converter .

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical communication system using a common medium converter;

Fig. 2 is the detailed block diagram of the structure of this optical communication system that has applied common medium converter;

Fig. 3 schematically shows a structural block diagram of an optical communication system, which system applies a power supply device for a medium converter according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 shows in detail a partial structural block diagram of an optical communication system, which system applies a power supply device for a medium converter according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is the block diagram of the structure of expanded optical communication system, and this system has the power supply device of a medium converter according to the present invention; And,

FIG. 6 shows the structure of a power supply device according to a medium converter used in an extended optical communication system of the present invention.

Detailed description of the implementation

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same elements will be designated by the same reference numerals or symbols even though they are shown in different drawings. For the purpose of clarity and simplicity, detailed descriptions of known functions and included structures are omitted here since they may obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

Fig. 3 schematically shows a structural block diagram of an optical communication system, which applies the power supply device for a medium converter according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the optical communication system includes electrical communication devices 10 and 40 , medium converters 20 and 30 , and power supply devices 11 , 60 , 80 and 41 . The power supply devices 11, 60, 80 and 41 supply power to the electrical communication devices 10 and 40 and the media converters 20 and 30, respectively. According to the present invention, the structure of the optical communication system is similar to that in FIG. 1 . The media converters 20 and 30 function as electrical-optical converters when the media converters receive electrical signals and convert them into optical interfaces. In addition, the medium converters 20 and 30 function as optical-electrical converters when the medium converters receive optical signals and convert them into electrical signals. As shown in FIG. 3 , the power supply devices 60 and 80 are provided separately from the media converters, like the outlets 50 and 70 . The traditional optical communication system shown in FIG. 1 does not have such characteristics. The sockets 50 and 70 that further separate the power supply have an input/output data interface for connecting with the electrical communication equipment 10 and 40, and also have an input/output data interface for connecting with the media converters 20 and 30 and A power supply interface. In such a case, this interface technology is implemented by wires, for example copper wires 1 .

Fig. 4 shows a partial structural block diagram of an optical communication system in detail, and the system applies the power supply device for a medium converter according to the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 4, the electrical communication device 10 includes transmitters TX+ and TX- for transmitting data and receivers RX+ and RX- for receiving data. If necessary, the electric communication device 10 includes an additional interface device (NC: not connected) connected thereto.

Transmitters TX+ and TX− deliver the data for modulation to the laser diode LD of the media converter 20 via the copper line 1 . The receivers RX+ and RX− receive electrical signals converted by the photodiodes PD of the media converter 20 . The medium converter 20 includes a laser diode LD, a photodiode PD and an amplifier.

The laser diode LD receives data from the transmitters TX+ and TX− of the electrical communication device 10 and converts this data into a laser beam whose intensity is proportional to the level of the input data. The laser diode LD then feeds the laser beam via an optical fiber 2 into the corresponding media converter 30 .

The photodiode PD receives the optical signal transmitted from the laser diode LD of the corresponding medium converter through the optical fiber 2, and then outputs an electrical signal whose intensity is proportional to the optical signal to the receivers RX+ and RX- of the electrical communication device 10 .

As previously mentioned, each laser diode and photodiode of the media converter requires a power supply to operate each of them.

The power supply socket device 50, which is another separate power supply device, includes a plurality of copper wires for electrical connection.

The power supply socket device 50 includes an interface for connecting to the medium converter 20 and an interface for connecting to the electrical equipment 10 . These interfaces receive copper wires 1, wherein the power supply socket device 50 feeds the transmission data received from the transmitters T+ and T− of the electrical equipment 10 into the laser diode LD of the media converter 20 and also receives the transmission data from the media converter 20 The photodiode PD delivers data to the receivers RX+ and RX− of the electric device 10 .

Also, the power supply socket unit 50 has V1, G, V2 and G terminals 51, 52, 53 and 54, through which the electric energy for driving the laser diode or photodiode of the medium converter can be transferred from V1, G of the power supply unit 60. , V2 and G terminals are provided, and the power supply device 60 will be described later.

In FIG. 4, V1, G, V2, and G terminals 55, 56, 57, and 58 are terminals for connection with an additional power supply socket device. That is to say, when an optical communication system is to be expanded, multiple subordinate power supply socket devices can be connected to one main power supply socket device, and can be connected between the main power supply socket device and the subordinate power supply socket devices or between the subordinate power supply socket devices The connection provides a conductor interface.

The power supply device 60 supplies power to the medium converter 20 . The power supply device 60 is not directly connected to the medium converter 20 but is connected to the power supply socket device 50 , so that the power supply device 60 can supply power to the medium converter 20 through the power supply socket 50 .

As in the above case, the socket 50 as a separate power supply device has connection interfaces formed as conductors 1, 2, 3 and 6 through which data is input and output, and also has power supply interfaces V1, V2 and G through which the Supply power to the media converter. In addition, the separate power supply device 50 includes interfaces 55, 56, 57 and 58 for connecting with other sockets.

In FIG. 4 , reference numeral 11 denotes a power supply device for supplying power to the electrical communication device 10 .

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the structure of an expanded optical communication system having a power supply device for a media converter according to the present invention.

When the electrical device of the communication system is a device such as a switch device or a router, which includes a plurality of electrical communication interfaces, the communication system requires the same number of media converters. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of subordinate power supply socket devices 50', 50", 70' and 70" can be respectively connected to the main power supply devices 50 and 70, and the main power supply devices 50 and 70 are connected to the power supply devices respectively. Devices 60 and 80 are directly connected. In this extended optical communication system described above, because the power supply device arranged between the electrical communication device 10 and the medium converter 20 can adopt a separate power supply, so only a single power supply device 60 can be an active source power supply device, which itself can supply power and other power supply devices 50, 50' and 50" can use the power supplied from this single power supply device 60 through the interface. Therefore, even when the electric device of the communication system includes a plurality of electric communication interfaces When, only one power supply device can be an active power supply device, while the other power supply devices can be passive power supply devices applied to the conductors in this communication system. When each media converter is connected to a separate active power supply device At the same time, as in ordinary optical communication systems, the entire communication system requires larger volume and cost, and is very inefficient in terms of its necessary functions.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of a power supply device including a media converter used in an extended optical communication system according to the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 6, when the electrical device of the communication system includes multiple medium converters, the necessary electric energy can be supplied to the medium converters by using the power supply device 60 and the multiple power supply socket devices 50 and 50' in the communication system. In this case, the power supply device 60 generates useful electrical energy for the drive circuit in the media converter. The power supply socket arrangements 50 and 50' Additionally, a device such as a fuse 90 may be placed between the power supply socket units 50 and 50' to prevent short circuits and thus uncontrolled operation of the power supply unit.

In the communication system according to the present invention, wherein the electrical device comprises a plurality of electrical communication interfaces, only one power supply device must be an active power supply device and the other power supply devices may be passive power supply devices using utilixing conductors. Therefore, the entire communication system can be constructed smaller and can be operated more efficiently. In addition, in the communication system of the present invention, a device such as a fuse 90 may be placed between the power supply socket devices 50 and 50' so as to prevent a short circuit and thereby prevent uncontrolled operation of the power supply device.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in shape and detail may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. The essence and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be unduly limited by the foregoing set forth embodiments, but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (12)

1. system to the media converter power supply that is used for optical communication, wherein each media converter becomes the interface conversion of an electrical communication equipment interface of an optical communication apparatus, and the interface conversion of this optical communication apparatus become the interface of communication means, this system comprises:

The electric supply installation that is arranged with this media converter branch; With,

At least one power supply base device, it provides the electric energy from this electric supply installation to this media converter, wherein

This power supply base device comprises and is used for the I/O data-interface that is connected with electrical communication equipment, and further comprises and be used for the I/O data-interface and the power supply interface that are connected with this media converter.

2. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this power supply base device further comprises:

A main power supply base device is used for directly receiving the electric energy from this electric supply installation;

The power supply base device of at least one subordinate is used to receive the electric energy from this main power supply base device; With,

At least one conductor interface is used for the power supply base device of subordinate is connected to this main power supply base device.

3. system as claimed in claim 2, wherein this at least one conductor interface selectively (alternatively) the power supply base device of a subordinate and the power supply base device of another subordinate are coupled together.

4. system as claimed in claim 1 comprises that further places the fuse between this conductor interface, to prevent this conductor interface short circuit.

5. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this electrical communication equipment further comprises the additional interface that offers additional interface arrangement.

6. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this electrical communication equipment commutes the signal of telecommunication of media converter by the copper cash transmission.

7. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this power supply base device by copper cash to this media converter electric energy transmitting.

8. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this media converter is transmitting the light data each other by optical fiber.

9. system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this media converter comprises an amplifier; A laser diode; With a photodiode.

10. method to the media converter power supply that is used for optical communication, wherein each media converter becomes the interface conversion of electrical communication equipment the interface of an optical communication apparatus, and the interface conversion of this optical communication apparatus is become the interface of this communication means, and this method may further comprise the steps:

An electric supply installation that is arranged with this media converter branch is provided; With,

At least one power supply base device is provided, and it provides the electric energy from this electric supply installation to this media converter.

11. method as claim 10, wherein provide the step that further comprises in the step of a power supply base device to be, a power supply base device is provided, it comprises and is used for the I/O data-interface that is connected with electrical communication equipment, also comprises being used for the I/O data-interface and the power supply interface that are connected with this media converter.

12., wherein provide the step that further comprises in the step of a power supply base device to be as the method for claim 11:

A main power supply base device is provided, is used for directly receiving electric energy from this electric supply installation;

The power supply base device of at least one subordinate is provided, is used for receiving electric energy from this main power supply base device; With,

At least one conductor interface is provided, and it is used for the power supply base device of a subordinate is connected with this main power supply base device, or is used for the power supply base device of a subordinate is connected with the power supply base device of another subordinate.

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